Vehicle seat



July' l1-, 1939.

F. M; SHANAHAN vVEHICLE' SEAT Filed sept. 2a, 1936 /N VENTOR BY M K4-4M, l A TORNEKS.

Patented July "Il, 1939 Deia l lApplication This invention relates primarily to seat constructions. More particularly? to a novel and improved form of seat construction having extremely high resilience and primarily adapted for use in automotive vehicles.

It is a primary object of the present. invention to. provide a seat construction in which a resllient cushion and a resilient seat Nhaci: are together so connected that vertical movement of 10 the seat cushion eiects some corrponding vertical movement of the exposed surface of the seat back cushion. This particular result is inherently desirable inasmuch as the fabric material generally used for the purpose of covering automobile l5 seats has a tendency to grip and engage the clothes of an occupant seated in the seat and substantial relative movement between the seat hack and seat cushion has a pronounced tendency to displace the clothing of the occupant.

These inherent diillculties become extremely pronounced in the event that the cushion and seat back, which together make up the vehicle seat, are o f such a nature that they have extremely high resiliency and consequently have very substantial relative movement with respect to each other. y

Still further the present invention contem plates the construction of a seat construction having the above enumerated desirable features and in which the cushion of the seat is displaceably mounted as is conventionally'desirable in automobile seats generally.

The present invention contemplates the provision of al seat back cushion comprising a pair of frames resiliently mounted with respect to each other, the surface frame including a. plurality of springs which serve to provide a resilient surface therefor. 'I'he seat cushion likewise includes a pair of spaced resiliently connected frames, the

40 upper frame including a plurality of spring elements providing a resilient surface for the seat cushion. I'he outer or forward frame of the seat back is connected to the base frame ot the seat cushion in order that as downward move- 5k ment of the seat cushion takes place a substan- September 2.8, '1938, r i (ci.

No. lezers when considered in connection with t i l pauyins drawing forming a part thereof.

` In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view with parts in section and parts broken away illustrating a- 5 seat construction embodying the improvements of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2--2 oi Fig. 1, illustrating in detail the relative vposition of the parts makl0 ing up the improved seat construction, and the manner in which the same are mounted and interconnected.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, illustrating l5 in detail the manner in which the forward ends of the supporting slings are secured to the seat pan.

With more particular reference to the drawing, it will become clearly apparent that the herein 20 described and illustrated form of the invention is merely illustrative of one form whichthe invention may take and which discloses a specific type of seat construction which embodies the improvements of the p esent inventionA and has been 25 found particu] iysatisfactory for use in auto- A conventional in the art, or may be formed of any suitable similar material having a conilguration generally the same as that of the seat back cushion of which it is a part.

This seat back cushion frame 1 has mounted-40 thereon a plurality of helical coil springs which serve to resiliently support a border wire framework B which constitutes the upper or forward frame of the seat back cushion. The helical 'coil springs 8 serve to resiliently mount this frame 9 45 with respect to the seat back frame l. The frame 9 is preferably formed from a single substantially continuous section of border wire such as is conventional in the art and serves to mount a plurality of vertically. extending arcuately disposed sinuous spring elements Il. 'I'hese spring elements Ii are preferably of the type shown and described in the patent to Kaden 2,002,399 issued May 21, 1935, and are formed of a plurality of Asimilar adjacent lateral convolutions lying subv| stantially in the same surface. The frame 9 may tangular shape by means of brace members II) if desired.

'Ihe spring elements I I, as a whole, at the time of their formation, are tensioned to lie along arcs of substantially smaller radius than that in which they are disposed in the frame 9. Consequently, the springelements II are each tensioned materially to add to their resilience. These elements are arranged side by side and together provide,

a relatively resilient `surface for the seat back cushion, which resilience is in addition to the resilient support provided by the coil springs 8. It will be appreciated that the seat back cushion construction as a whole may be covered with a suitable layer of padding material I4 and the padding material may be conveniently covered with a section of fabric finish material I5 in order to lend an 'attractive surface finish to the cushion construction as a whole.

It will be apparent that the coil springs 8 provide substantially resilient means for interconnecting the upper frame 9 with the base frame I of this cushion construction and consequent relative vertical movement of the upper frame 9 with respect to the base frame 1 may take place, resulting only in a distortion of the coil springs 8 within their elastic limits.

The cushion of the seat construction may be formed in a manner similar to the seatl back cushion described above if desired, but in the particular embodiment of ,the invention illustrated in the drawing this seat cushion includes a base frame I6 which is generally rectangular in configuration and of a shape substantially the same as the cushion as a whole. This base frame has secured directly on the upper surface thereof a metallic sheet metal member I1 which extends continuously around the base frame and, in the form shown, is generally S shaped in cross section, thus providing an inwardly presenting channel extending entirely aroundthe base frame. l A generally rectangular border frame I8 forms the marginal edge of the upper portion of the seat cushion and this border frame I8 is preferably constructed of border wire such as is conventional in the art in constructions of this kind.

The upper or border frame I8 is resiliently mounted with respect to the base frame I6 by means of a plurality of jack springs 2U, the upper ends of which are preferably crimped into the border wire I8 of the upper frame and the lower ends of which are preferably crimped into the inwardly presenting channel of the sheet metal 'member II of the base frame. These jack springs 20 serve to resiliently mount the upper frame with respect to the base frame of the seat cushion. The surfacei of the seat cushion is preferably formed of a. plurality of arcuately tensioned sinuous spring elements 22, substantially similar in construction and arrangement to the `arcuate lconstruction-as a whole is preferably covered vwith a layer of suitable padding material 23 and finished by stretching thereover a section of fabric finish material 24, which fabric finish material may conveniently be brought downen 'all sides of the cushion construction and secured to the rectangular frame I6 in any convenient manner such as is conventional in the art.

The forward portion of the seat cushion construction rests in the forward marginal edge of the seat pan 6 and is prevented from moving rearwardly therein by means of a pair of upstanding pins 25, which pins are rigidly mounted in the seat pan 6. The rear edge of the seat cushion is supported by means of a pair of slings 30 which are preferably formed of sheet metal bent to form a channel cross section, the upper ends of which slings are secured to the upper marginal frame member 9 of the seat back cushion. These slings 30 extend downwardly and underneath the seat cushion and forwardly to a point adjacent the forward edge thereof. The forward ends of the slings are flattened and provided with apertures 3I therein adapted to receive the pins 25.

These slings are of such length and configuration that they serve to maintain the rear portion of the seat cushion substantially spaced from the surface of the seat pan 6 at the rear portion thereof to allow for considerable downward movement of the entire rear portion of the cmhion when a substantial amount of weight such as that of an occupant is disposed thereon. It will be appreciated that the coil springs 8 serve to some extent to resist this downward movement of the seat cushion as a whole, inasmuch as these coil springs s erve to support the back border frame 9 in 'predetermined position.

The slings 30 are additionally supported by relatively strong tension coil springs 35, the upper ends of which are anchored to the frame I of the seat back cushion and the lower ends of which are anchored to the slings at a point above where the slings come in contact with the rear edge of the seat cushion. It will be readily apparent that these tension coil springs serve to resist downward movement of the slings and consequently resist downward bodily movement of the rear portion of the seat cushions as a whole.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that inasmuch as the upper ends of the slings are mounted to the upper marginal frame l member of the top frame of the seat back cushion that the entire forward-surface of the seat back cushion will inherently be moved downwardly as the rear portion of the seat cushion is moved downwardly, consequently greatly limiting relative movement between these members. It will also readily become clear that due to the resilient support provided for the rear portion of the seat cushion construction the resiliency of the cushion will be greatly enhanced, at the same time not increasing relative movement between the seat cushion and seat back. Further, it will be' clear that the construction is relatively simple and one which facilitates the removal of the seat cushion as may be desired without in any manner disturbing the slings which serve to support this seat cushion. 'Ihe construction and arrangement of the slings 30 and support springs 35 are preferably such that when an occupant of normal weight is seated in the seat construction shown the slings will still maintain substantial clearance from the bottom of the seat pan and consequently the entire support for the rear portion of the seat cushion will be provided by the slings 30 and .supporting springs 35, thus making available this resilient support for the seat cushion at all times and under all circumstances. It will be appreciated that the seat cushion construction apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is: 1. A seat construction for vehicle bodies comprising a relatively rigid seat back frame, a bor` der frame resiliently mounted thereon in spaced relation thereto, L-shaped slings anchored at their forward end and secured to the top edge of said border frame attheir other ends, and a seat cushion removably mounted upon said slings.

2. A seat construction for vehicle bodies comprising a seat back frame, a border frame resiliently mounted thereon Iin forwardly spaced relation thereto, L-shaped slings suspended from the top edge of said border frame, resilient means serving to support said slings with respect to said seat back frame, and a seat cushion removably mounted on said slings.

' 3. A vehicle seat constructioncomprising a seat back cushion having a rigidly mounted base frame and a border frame resiliently mounted in spaced relation thereto, a seat pan, upstanding pins adjacent the forward edge of said seat pan, slings connected to said border frame of said seat back cushion at one of their ends and anchored to said pins at the other of their ends, a seat cushion removably supported by said slings.

4. A vehicle seat construction comprising a seat back cushion having a rigidly mounted base frame and a border frame resiliently mounted in spaced relation thereto, a seat pan, upstanding pins adjacent the forward edge of said seat pan, l

slings connected to said border frame-of said seat back cushion at one of their ends and anchored to said pins at the other of their ends, a-seat cushion removably supported upon said slings` respect to said seat pan. a y

5. A vehicle seat construction comprising a seat back cushion having a rigidly mounted base frame and a border frame resiliently mounted in spaced reiatiomthereto, a seat pan, upstanding pins adjacent the forward edge of said seat pan,

'slings connected to said border frame of said 4seat back cushion at one of their ends andanchored to said'pins at the other of theirl ends, a

seat cushion removably mounted upon said slings vspaced relation with respect to said seat-pana 6. A seat construction for vehicle bodiesv comprising a seat back cushion having a base frame and a border frame resiliently mounted thereon in spaced relation thereto, a seat pan, a seat cushion having its forward edge seated'in the 'forward edge of said seat pan, and means connected to the border frameof said baci: cushion for supporting the rear portion of said seat cushion in spaced relation with respect to said pan.

'7. A seat construction for vehicle bodies comprisinga seat back cushion having a base frame and aborder frame resiliently mounted thereon in spaced relation thereto, a seat pan, a seat cushionv having its forward edge seated in the forward edge of said seat pan, means connected to the border frame of said back .cushion for supporting the rear portion of said seat cushion in spaced relation with respect to said pan, and resilientv means interconnecting said supporting means with the base frame of said seat back cushion'.

8. A vehicle seat construction including a seat back and a seat cushion each comprising a base frame and a border frame resiliently connected movably mounted on said slings in cooperative relation with respect to said seat back.

9. A vehicle seat construction including a seat back and a seat cushion each comprising a base frame and a border frame resiliently connected thereto, means forrigidly mounting theI base frame oi said back, slings pivotally mounted upon rigid supporting means at their forward ends, said slings extending rearwardly and then upwardly and having their upper ends anchored to the border frame of said seat back cushion, springs resilently interconnecting said slings with the base frame of said seat back cushion 

